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London motor enthusiasts had something to celebrate over the holidays. In early December, Prince Michael of Kent announced that planning was underway for the return of a major auto show to London in 2016.

The London Motor Show will take place in May of 2016. The show will be the first major motor show in London since the 2008 British Motor Show.

It will have been eight-years since the British Motor Show last took place. Once a premiere stop on the global auto show calendar, the British Motor Show was discontinued after the 2008 edition. Former organisers, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Trades, scrapped the 2010 London show citing shrinking interest from auto manufacturers amid a shift in marketing strategy during the global economic crisis.

Where will the 2016 London Motor Show be Held?

The new rendition of the show is being put on by BNC Special events. Unlike most auto exhibitions, the 2016 London Motor show will not take place in a conventional exhibition centre. Instead, the gathering will be held outside in London’s Battersea Park and runs from May 5 to May 8.

The revitalized auto show is unique for more than just its outdoor location. Organisers have said the show will be designed to give guests a very hands-on experience with people being allowed to get inside and even drive the vehicles.

According to Prince Michael, the 2016 show will place special emphasis on low-emission technology, driver education, and road safety.

Will Too Many Shows Result in a Lack of Interest?

The timing of the event is interesting. The London Motor Show will serve as a lead-in for two other summer motor shows that have filled the void in recent years. The Canary Wharf Motorexpo show will be held in June. The Goodwood Festival of Speed’s Moving Motor Show will follow later in June.

In recent years, the Goodwood Festival has served as a sort of de facto major motor show for the UK. The event has been incredibly popular as of late, more than 200,000 visitors attended the four-day event last year.

Though some have expressed that the two events could detract from each other, London Motor Show organisers don’t believe that’s the case. Organisers cite London’s large population and the opportunities that such a large population presents to manufacturers and other auto industry businesses as one reason both shows can be successful.

Only time will tell if London can support a major motor show this time around. If not, the show will end up in the same place that the country’s 2 million End-of-Life cars do every year — at the scrap car merchants.